Satish Chandra Verma

Summary

Gujarat officer whose investigation helped the Gujarat High Court's SIT call the Ishrat Jahan encounter fake. He was moved 16 times by 2006 and dismissed a month before retirement in 2022 for unauthorised media interviews; the Delhi High Court upheld the dismissal.

TOI (Sep 2006): 'shuffled around 16 times'. Not updated for 2006-2022.

1. 2005One report

   DIG, Kutch rangePolice training centre, Junagadh

   Transferred while 'actively pursuing investigations into an incident of rioting by a BJP MLA' (TOI).

   Up against

   BJP MLA (unnamed in source), BJP Government: BJP (Narendra Modi), Gujarat.

   Reported reason

   TOI places the transfer during the probe.

   The other side said

   TOI: 'the home department always terms such transfers routine'.

   Outcome

   Moved to training.

   What became of the matter

   Unknown. Fate of the rioting case against the MLA not found.

   timesofindia.indiatimes.com

2. 11 years with no move on record here.

3. Jul 2016Documented

   Chief Vigilance Officer, NEEPCO

   Verma had assisted the Gujarat High Court's SIT, which on his report held the 2004 Ishrat Jahan encounter 'fake'. Months after he called the killing a 'premeditated murder' in a 2016 interview, he was removed as NEEPCO's CVO. In Dec 2016 the Indian Express published his NEEPCO report alleging an 'elaborate conspiracy' over two Kameng dams, allegedly involving a relative of Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju.

   Up against

   Kiren Rijiju (relative named in Verma's report), Union Minister of State for Home, BJP Government: BJP-led NDA (Narendra Modi), Union.

   Reported reason

   Indian Express ties the removal in time to the interview.

   The other side said

   Rijiju and the Power Ministry denied the charges in the NEEPCO report. The Home Ministry charged Verma with giving unauthorised media interviews.

   Outcome

   Charge memo 13 Aug 2018; dismissed 30 Aug 2022.

   What became of the matter

   Dismissal upheld. The Supreme Court briefly stayed the dismissal in Sep 2022; the Delhi High Court then upheld it in May 2023. The charges concerned an India Today interview on 2-3 Mar 2016 given without authority, and statements countering former Home Secretary G. K. Pillai. Outcome of the NEEPCO dam allegations and of the Ishrat Jahan prosecution not established in sources read. indiankanoon.org indianexpress.com

   • Judgment Satish Chandra Verma, IPS vs Union of India & Ors., Delhi High Court, W.P.(C) 10486/2021 and connected (2023:DHC:3630-DB), May 2023

     there is no denial to the fact that the Petitioner interacted with the press in respect of issues that were not within the scope of his duties.

   • Judgment Same judgment, conclusion, May 2023

     we do not find any reason to interfere with the findings returned by the Inquiry Authority or the order passed by the Disciplinary Authority.

   indianexpress.com